Today is the anniversary of the birth of Vincent van Gogh in 1853.
When I think of Van Gogh I think of swirling skies, starry nights and sunflowers. I recall the song "Starry starry night" that was popular in my youth and is a tribute to Vincent, written and sung by Don Mclean. The song reflects his art with the lines "sketch the trees and the daffodils" and "morning fields of amber
grain" describing the amber wheat that features in several
paintings. There are also several lines that may refer to his
self-portraits: such as "weathered faces lined in pain / are soothed
beneath the artist's loving hand" Van Gogh was unrecognised as an artist until after his death. I love the vibrancy of his pictures and I suppose too I have been moved by the story of the struggles of his life: his unhappiness, mental illness (depression) and self mutilation.
Today I was moved by some words that Vincent wrote:
"To
believe in God for me is to feel that there is a God, not a dead one,
or a stuffed one, but a living one, who with irresistible force urges us
towards more loving."
“It
is good to love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and
whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is
done in love is well done.” - Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853 -
December 13, 1901)
In those two quotations Vincent shows himself to be not only a creative genius but also a person with deep wisdom about what is important in life.
I think it is a sad truth that those who suffer most are able to write most profoundly about love and what is most important in life. Whereas those who know loving acceptance in life and enjoy the benefits of success very often do not have such insights. Perhaps a challenging message here for me is to listen careful to what every person says for profound words do not just come from the lips of those that the world considers wise. And those that the world rejects becasue of their mental illness should also have a voice as members of the human race.
Yesterday I was at a discussion about the Scottish Government's "See me" campaign. This is about raising the profile of people with mental illnesses of all sorts so that we are encouraged see the person and not just label them with a badge and then ignore them.
St Augustine is believed to have coined the phrase "Solvitur Ambulando" which means "it is solved by walking".
Diogenes of Sinope,
also known as "Diogenes the Cynic," is said to have replied to the
argument that motion is unreal by standing up and walking away. A more idiomatic English translation might be “you’ll find the answer as you go.”
Whichever is the correct source of the phrase it has been quoted by Dorothy L Sayers, Thoreau, and Bruce Chatwin in their works.
When you feel stressed a walk is the best cure I know. Once you get outdoors in the open air, ideally amongst nature, then with the wind blowing around you and in your hair, your own concerns seen to shrink and get into proportion. My mind clears and I see much better probably because of both the fresh air and the exercise.
We have two dogs. They love to walk. They have to go out every day rain or snow, wind or storm. They make me walk them even when I don't feel like it or would prefer to be huddled up beside the fire with a good book.
Setting out for a walk you can hold some question that is causing you concern in your mind. Not worrying about it but holding it there gently in your thoughts as you enjoy the physical aspects of taking a walk. Perhaps you want to do the same with something that you are worrying about. It is likely that when you return from the walk the stress will be reduced or gone and you will see more clearly.
When you walk in company you often chat about problems you are facing and often come up
with solutions. Walking alone is essential for a writer friend who finds it is a time that he comes up with plots and ideas for his books. A walk can also be a cure for a writers block. If you are not blessed as I am to live next to beautiful woods maybe when you walk you have to cross major road
intersections. Instead instead of streams and distant mountain views you walk past apartment blocks, shops and factories but you can still lose yourself in the exercise. You are outside. You are taking in the perspective of the wider world. It is the walking that brings healing and up to a point it doesn't matter where you walk - though I know which I would find preferable.
Solvitur Ambulando
I re-read today the account of the Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem in Mark's gospel. And I was struck by a verse that I had not noticed before.
At the end of my reading it says " And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve." (Mark 11:11 English Standard Version)
Jesus had been the centre of attention during the entry into the Temple and city riding on the colt but when he arrives at his destination all he does is look around.
Was Jesus just looking at what was happening? Was he examining how people had been influenced by his symbolic act? Was he trying to work out how excited people had got and what to do with all the emotion that had been shown.? Was he wondering what was going to happen next? Was he looking at all the false hopes that he would not be able to fulfil? Perhaps he was even thinking how do I follow that? Or was he looking round in a sombre realisation that he was not on a journey from which there could be no turning back?
Was this short verse the moment of realisation that he had now irrevocably committed himself to the path that would lead to the events of Holy week and the Passion? Did this act of looking around finally convince him that this was the way that he had to go.
I like the phrase "he looked round at everything". It implies an active interest in the world and what is going on. But looking at the world through the eyes of Christ must be an awesome and terrifying experience. For we recall that in holy week the words of the shortest verse in the New Testament - "Jesus wept". This verse describes his reaction to looking over Jerusalem and seeing a city that was rejecting the way of God. Where ever we look in the world we will see suffering, people doing things that are not right and innocent ones being exploited.
If we look with the eyes of Christ we may weep. But like Jesus in the temple, looking around and seeing what is really happening can also strengthen our resolve to do something about the problems that we see. Instead of weeping we can ask for strength to make a stand and face up to what we see that is wrong. Though if we do make a stand like Jesus we should also remember that the road we are taking may lead to us being "crucified" as he was.
